1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to surface treatments of materials, and more particularly to a method of imparting reflective surfaces to items of jewelry, and jewelry resulting from processing in accordance with the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is frequently an objective of jewelry makers to enhance or increase the degree by which an item of jewelry sparkles or glitters. Indeed, it has become both an art and a science to maximize light reflections and, thereby, the brilliance or fire of diamonds. The desire to optimize light reflections has extended beyond precious gems. Items of jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings and the like made from precious metals, have also in many instances been designed to increase reflections of light in order to enhance the aesthetic appearance of these items of jewelry by making them shimmer as light is reflected from them. By way of example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,225; 5,129,220 and 5,353,584 a method is disclosed for imparting flat surfaces onto hollow rope chains in order to provide reflecting surfaces. Similar techniques had previously been used in connection with solid rope chains. While some techniques have been performed manually or by hand, the method disclosed in the aforementioned patents represent an effort to provide such surface treatments on the surfaces of jewelry items on a more automated, mass production basis. Clearly, the purpose of such methods is to enhance the aesthetic appearance and, therefore, the value of the resulting jewelry while maintaining costs down to a minimum.
Typically, the surfaces of the jewelry are modified in order to provide one or more reflective surfaces which add sparkle and glitter to the jewelry. One example is the passage of a generally round tubular shaped item, such as a rope chain, through one or more forming dies in which the chain is essentially cut along four sides to form a rope chain which has a generally square cross-sectional configuration. This is achieved by cutting off the outer peripheries or peaks of the turns or links of the chain, thereby providing flat surfaces that reflect light more than did the original curved or rounded surfaces. This tends to reflect more focused light by reducing scattering or dispersion. Passage of the chains, such as rope chains, through such a dye or dies is relatively inexpensive and automated procedures allow the chains to be given a new and distinctive appearance that render the chains more aesthetic by imparting a sparkle or glitter to the chain which did not exist before. However, with this process the cross section of the chain becomes, square as aforementioned. Additionally, because the dies tend to shave off material from the surface of the jewelry, there is some loss in precious metal. Also, the removal of materials in any appreciable amount can weaken the structural integrity of the jewelry and weaken it. With regard to a rope chain, the weakening of the links may result in the links opening and the chain becoming damaged. Furthermore, this technique has the additional disadvantage that it requires the production of a die which is a relatively fixed in configuration and, therefore, limits the number or extent of the reflecting surfaces that can be produced for a given diameter chain or other item of jewelry. This restricts the versatility of the apparatus and the range of product designs that can be achieved with a given die configuration.